31 Times Disney Presented Serious Topics To Kids And Did A Really Good Job

Bored Panda reached out to talk about the serious topics in animated movies with Reddit user Niiue, one of the moderators at r/MovieDetails and an expert in everything related to films. Niiue told us that they believe one of the reasons why Disney references serious topics is because it serves "as a bonus for parents"—in other words, it keeps the adults interested in the story, too, not just kids.

According to the redditor, having serious topics in animations improves their stories because depth improves writing.

We also wanted to find out Niiue's opinion about the most serious moment that stood out for them in recent animated movies. "I think the first thing that comes to mind is how The Incredibles had numerous references to infidelity that I was too young to pick up on when I first saw it. I think the reason it stands out to me now is specifically because of how much it flew over my head as a kid."

For me personally, the darkest and saddest moments in animations are when Simba’s dad Mufasa died in The Lion King and when Marlin and Nemo were the only ones left alive after the barracuda attack in Finding Nemo. (No, these aren’t tears, there’s just something in my eye.)

Disney films are chock full of surprisingly dark moments that you start to notice more and more of when you spot the first one. Elly B writes on The Artifice that what connects both Disney and Pixar movies are that they’re willing to include “weighty and emotionally hard-hitting” topics. From grief to prejudice to living with disability.

Of course, some parents might think that their kids are too young for some of the heavy lessons these movies might teach all of us. However, the harsh truth is—you can’t always protect your kids from the real world. No matter how much you might want to.

What Disney movies do is they present a serious, sometimes dark, issue and help the characters and the audience understand what the best way to deal with the situation is. So instead of ignoring possible problems that kids might run into, these films help provide them with emotional toolboxes to overcome the challenges that await them.